Living on the Edge

Chip Ingram: Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear? There's something you know you want to do, you know God wants you to do it, but you're just afraid. Because you're afraid, you don't do it. How do you overcome that fear? That's today on Living on the Edge. Stay with me.

Dave Druey: I'm Dave Druey, and today on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram opens Acts chapter four where Peter and John are standing before the most powerful religious court in the land, being ordered to stop talking about Jesus. Their answer is one of the most remarkable things in the entire book of Acts, and it's the launching point for today's message. Stay with us because later in today's program, Chip will be sharing about our mid-year match, a special giving opportunity happening right now that we don't want you to miss. Now, here's Chip Ingram with his lesson, Learning to Walk in the Power of God.

Chip Ingram: There's this amazing mission, this unstoppable grace, tsunami grace, when Jesus died on the cross and He rose from the dead. His passionate love for every human being has been forcefully moving forward for the last 2,000 years. He started with about 120 people and their mission—talk about mission impossible—was to reach the world.

For 40 days, He talks to them and He teaches them. Then they watch Him in chapter one ascend into heaven. In chapter two, He sends the Holy Spirit. Then chapter three, it's just about taking baby steps. You're just normal, ordinary people. Just take baby steps. The baby step was Peter and John just doing what you normally do. They draw near to God.

So they're walking their way to the temple. They see a guy that since they were children has been crippled, but they saw him through new eyes. They saw him through the eyes of his need and the resources of God. He acted on that good impulse, and he speaks. He takes this big step of faith and he reaches down. As he reached and pulled the man, a miracle happens. Pretty soon there's thousands of people seeing this man that everyone has seen crippled from birth.

What would happen if 100 percent of us just acted on that Holy Spirit-inspired impulse to love someone, to communicate to someone? 120 people transformed the world in the last 2,000 years, not because some big thing came down from heaven and there was a scroll with a game plan that said what to do every moment of every day. It was ordinary people just like you, just like me.

Pretty soon, they just draw near to God, and they begin to look at people differently, the way Jesus looks at them. Then they acted on those good impulses. When they did, then God began to do some amazing things and they gave Him credit. Then they boldly explained, "We have to tell you this isn't us. Jesus, who was killed, rose from the dead, and He loves people and He wants to help you." He preaches this amazing sermon.

It doesn't end there. The last part I want you to remember when you take these baby steps for God is to expect a polarizing response. Expect a polarizing response. If you'll pick it up with me in Acts chapter four, Peter has just preached this sermon. The fearful fisherman, the uneducated guy that doesn't bring much to the table, the blue-collar worker preaches a sermon. We're going to see what happens. Some really good stuff and some really hard stuff.

Beginning in chapter four, the priests and the captain of the guard and the Sadducees came to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John because it was evening, and they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about 5,000.

Sometimes, it's just human nature when you do exactly what God wants you to do and you begin to draw near to God. You say, "I may not be really good at this," but you start reading the Bible on a regular basis. You start talking to Him, and even while you're driving, you start communicating throughout the day. In the middle of a meeting, something comes up and you start saying, "Lord, what do you want me to do?"

Pretty soon you start looking at people instead of by the outside and judging them through Jesus's eyes. Then He'll give you these little impulses. You think it could be someone else, and you act on one, and then He confirms it. You act on another, and pretty soon you find yourself explaining to people that there's hope and there's life and there's forgiveness.

The assumption is that everything's going to go great since you're doing the right thing at the right time and honoring God. It's going to be great. What I want to tell you is that it usually produces a polarizing response. They end up in jail—negative. People come to Christ and a movement is begun—positive.

You need to grasp the reality that a student isn't greater than his teacher. Jesus lived the perfect life, loved people perfectly, and when He told people the truth out of love from a tender heart, some people responded and it changed the course of their eternity, and other people rejected Him. That's how it goes with us.

Because that's true and because down in your psyche you know that's true, I want to move from taking baby steps to walking in the power of God. As you go through this tsunami movement that you see in Acts chapters one, two, three, and four, and five, and the rest of this book, this little fearful group of people, they change the world. They take on the establishment. They start with baby steps, but they begin to walk in the power of God. They begin to expect God to do supernatural things, and He does.

The scripture says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Chapter three told us that there's power available, but it starts with baby steps. Chapter four is going to address the biggest issue why most followers of Christ don't walk in the power of God. You know what that reason is? Fear. Fear.

"I would step out and say something, but I don't know what I would say. What if someone asks me a question?" Fear. "What if I take a couple steps and then God has some bigger plan and wants me to go someplace I don't want to?" Fear. "What if I want to do something, but I just don't have what it takes?" Fear. "What if people reject me?" Fear. The average follower of Christ is paralyzed by the fear of what might happen or what you don't possess in order to be the person that God wants to use.

It's so interesting in Acts chapter four, there are four clear lessons about how the Spirit of God living inside of you as His follower will help you overcome your fear. Lesson number one: Fear not, the Holy Spirit will speak through you. Let's face it, all of us are pretty concerned that someone's going to ask you something and you don't know how to respond.

Pick up the story with me in chapter four, verse five. The next day, the rulers, the elders, and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so was Caiaphas and John and Alexander and the other men of the high-priestly family. They had Peter and John brought before them and they began to question them. Here's the question: "By what power or what name did you do this?"

This man who was crippled and healed, he stands in front of them. It's a semicircle of about 70. It was the council made up of the Sanhedrin, which are the Sadducees. They don't believe in the resurrection. Then you have the high-priestly family. We get four or five different names during that time. Then you have some teachers of the law. So you have the court of Israel of that day. They made all the recommendations in terms of what would happen to the Roman government. They had authority except for issues like capital offenses.

They bring these two guys, and you've got this testimony of this guy that was crippled and he's healed. They're saying, "Now by what power or what name, how did you guys pull this off?" Peter then, filled with the Holy Spirit: "Rulers and elders of the people, if we're being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel. It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone which you builders rejected, which has become the capstone."

He's quoting Psalm 118. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Again, we put these apostles in stained glass way too quickly. This is a guy that less than a month ago or so, maybe six or eight weeks, a little servant girl says, "Do you know him?" And he starts swearing, "I've never seen him before in my life."

Then he's filled with the Holy Spirit and he meets the resurrected Christ. He's no superstar. All he's doing is going about doing what he knows, the next logical thing. So he's on his way to a prayer meeting and God gives him this prompting and he responds to that prompt, and a miracle occurs. Now he's in jail.

Now he's in jail and now he's brought before the intellects of his day. This is like going before the equivalent of Harvard or Stanford, all the PhDs. You haven't even been to college and they're going to ask you the questions. I'm thinking Peter in his heart of hearts is thinking, "Oh Lord, I've got to trust your promise. I've got to trust that you'll teach me what to say. I believe because Jesus promised."

He said the Holy Spirit will bring to mind everything that you need. Look what God promised the disciples and He promises us. Jesus promised in Luke 21: "But before all of this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

Notice, make up your mind in advance. That's a pre-decision. In other words, you don't have to be afraid about what you're going to say in a situation at work, or with a relative, or with a friend, or someone that you meet. You don't have to be afraid because in that moment, make up your mind and God so cares about them and is so prepared He will put words in your mouth to help them because He wants you to know you don't have to be afraid. He wants to release us as His followers to love and care for people.

Dave Druey: This is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and we'll continue in a minute. Right now, Living on the Edge is in the middle of a mid-year match, and every dollar you give this month will be matched dollar for dollar by a group of generous ministry partners. It costs you nothing extra. Your gift simply does twice the work. To find out more, just go online to livingontheedge.org, and Chip will share more details in a little bit. Now back to our message.

Chip Ingram: Look how bold Peter was. Notice some pretty good psychology. "Oh, if we're on trial for this act of kindness," that was a good line, wasn't it? "You're down on us for doing something really wonderful and kind and good to someone?" Then he just goes strong and tells them. He quotes scripture so there's truth behind it.

After he quotes scripture, he looks them dead in the eye and says there is salvation in no other name. He's bold. He's bold because these aren't Peter's words. These are the Spirit of God speaking through Peter. That promise is as true for you and me as it was for them. Sadly, about eight to nine out of every 10 Christians who are legitimate followers of Christ have never verbally shared the gospel with another person.

They have never explained to another person, even though we are the possessors and stewards of eternal life, how Christ died for them, that their sin separates them from God, that He died and rose from the dead, He's paid for that and makes an offer by grace of eternal life. Lord, would you create in my heart a love for people the way you love them, especially those that are outside of a relationship with you? Lord, would you give me a boldness that I don't have? Would you help me to see people not through how they appear or how they might intimidate me? Would you just give me your eyes?

I've been praying that and God answered my prayer this week. Just little, gradual baby steps. I was working out. As I was working out, a guy came in. We played a little two-on-two. I could tell he's from another country and I said, "Where are you from?" He said, "I'm from Egypt." I said, "Hey, I've been there a couple times. Where from?" We talked a little bit. I said, "What's your name?" He said, "Amen." I said, "No, no, I appreciate that. But what's your name?" He says, "That is my name."

So we got talking a little bit. It wasn't like I had some big plan or anything. I'm just working out. He's sweaty and I'm sweaty. I didn't know. I just heard it come out of my mouth. I said, "You know, I use your name a lot." He says, "What do you mean?" I said, "Well, I pray like during the day, and at the end I say 'Amen.' So I use your name a lot."

He said, "That's very interesting." He said, "I had a friend invite me." Now think of how God's working. "I went to a Christian church this last weekend," and he told me a little bit about it. I said, "Where are you coming from?" Long story short, this guy came from a wealthy family in Egypt, has been in the country for over a decade, very articulate, 28 years old, has studied Islam and went to graduate school, understands it.

We began to have a dialogue about Jesus and Abraham and Islam and Christianity. I said, "You ever wonder?" We had a really good conversation. I probably spent about 70 percent of the time listening and asking him questions and really just realizing I just want to know what's in this guy's heart and I want to learn.

Finally, he says, "There's not that much difference between us and everything else." I said, "Well, I kind of think there really is." He said, "Well, what do you mean?" I said, "I can let me give you the difference in just six letters. Just six letters is all the difference between Islam and what Jesus taught in the Bible. Actually the difference between Jesus and every other religion in the world."

We're dripping on the basketball court. He goes, "Well, what is it?" Well, the first two letters are what Islam demands and every other religion, and the letters are 'D-O'. You gotta do. You gotta do, do, do, do, do, right? You pray five times a day. You gotta pray five times a day. You need to go on pilgrimage. Do, do, do, do, do to earn God's favor." He says, "Right." I said, "How do you know for sure if you've ever done enough?"

It was that moment of he gave me that look. "I don't know." But we were friends. It was coming. I said, "Here's what Jesus taught. Everything he talked about can be summed up in four letters: 'D-O-N-E'. Done. See, it's not about—now because he said, 'Look, you want to tell the truth. I want to tell the truth. You want to be a good husband. I want to be a good husband. See, there's not much difference.' I said, 'No, no, you understand. You're doing that to try and earn someone's favor that you're really afraid of down deep. I'm doing it because I'm so loved that it's done. He died for me. I'm already forgiven. I have a relationship and that flows his life out of me.'"

We got done and I said, "I have learned so much today. Would you be open to kind of hanging out and teaching me about Islam? Because let's face it on both sides, aren't there like idiots and radical extremists in the name of Christianity or Islam that do wacko stuff?" He goes, "Yeah." I said, "I'd really like to understand it." He said, "I'm here every day." I said, "Okay." So we exchanged a little information.

Where did those six letters come from? They came from the Holy Spirit. I've never shared the gospel like that in my life. I mean, He was bringing stuff to my mind that I studied about Islam who knows where. What gave me, Mr. Mouthy, the person who's always going to say and make these reasoned arguments, who in the world could have me shut up and listen and actually just care about someone and realize all I want to do is understand where you're coming from and care and allow the love of Christ to come through me to you?

I just acted on a good impulse. I saw him through different eyes. God will give you everything you need and He'll speak through you. This promise is for you. People in your office, He's preparing them. People on the job site, He's preparing them. When you walk your dog in the park, He's preparing them. Let it come out of your mouth.

The second lesson from Acts 4 is: Fear not, the Holy Spirit will protect you. Once you say, "Well, if it starts coming out of my mouth, well, I'm going to get a bad reputation or it might limit my job or He might protect—oh, gosh, what if it works? I could get really scared. I might have to go on a missions trip." Pretty soon we have this fear of what might happen.

Notice what happens as we pick up the story in verse 13. When they saw the courage of Peter and John, they realized they were unschooled, ordinary men. That's good because that's who most of us are. They were astonished and they took note of these men that they'd been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who'd been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then they conferred together. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows that they've done an outstanding miracle and we can't deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer anymore in his name."

Then they called them back again and commanded them to speak or teach no longer in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it's right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

They had further threatened them, then they let them go. They couldn't decide how to punish them because all the people were praising God for all that had happened, for the man who was miraculously healed was over 40 years old. Will you underline this one verse? "We could not stop or help ourselves from thinking."

It's unstoppable. But notice what? He doesn't say, "We couldn't stop speaking about these intellectual arguments. We couldn't stop thinking about this obligation and duty." He says, "We couldn't stop speaking about what we personally have seen and what we personally have heard."

When I hear some of us as pastors tell people about what they need to do in terms of being more active and caring and sharing for their faith, I think we push the wrong end of the stick. I think that's a mixed metaphor, but you get the idea. See, I think we're always telling people what they ought to do, ought to do, ought to do.

Here's the deal: When you are experiencing the love of Jesus and you're experiencing His power, when you see Him working in you, when you hear His voice, you won't be able to stop telling people about what's going on. What's going to happen over time is you're going to start caring way less about what people think of you and way more about how much God thinks of them. That's freeing.

Notice the promise that Jesus gave. He says the Holy Spirit will protect you. Fear not. The very last night, He knew. These were people that lived with Jesus for three years, night and day. They knew Him. On the very last night, He said, "I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you'll have trouble, but take heart; I've overcome the world."

He protected Peter and John. It doesn't mean you're not going to have a hard time. They had a night in jail. We'll see later they go through some difficult times. But God will protect you. He can protect your heart, He can protect your children, He can protect your fears.

You need to understand when you boldly step out and allow Him not just through your life but through your words to speak, He'll take care of you. He'll protect you. He's God. He spoke and the world came into existence. He loves you. He loves those people that you care about that so many times the words are stuck right here and you just can't get them out. There is no other name given unto man under heaven by which we must be saved. You are the conduits. You are the greatest Christian some people know. Some people may never hear unless they hear through you and me.

Dave Druey: Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men. The record says the authorities were astonished, and then it says they took note that these men had been with Jesus. That's the whole explanation. Not training, not talent, not temperament; they had been with Jesus. And Chip's challenge today lands quietly but squarely: the people around you at work, in your neighborhood, in your family, you may be the only Jesus they ever encounter up close. That's a calling. The disciples had been with Jesus, and being with Jesus is still what changes everything. Well, here's Chip with a word about what it looks like when a whole movement of people decide to live that way.

Chip Ingram: In Acts chapter 4, the religious authorities hauled Peter and John in and gave them a direct order: stop talking about Jesus. Stop teaching in His name. Stop. And Peter looked them in the eye and said, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Friends, that's courage, and it is exactly what the church needs today.

Right now, I'm presenting a teaching called The Jesus Revolution from Acts chapter 1 through Acts chapter 5. One of the most urgent themes is the call for Christians to stop apologizing for the gospel and start living boldly, even when the culture pushes back. Peter refused to be silenced, and your gift to this mid-year match this June is how you can say along with Peter, "We cannot stop."

Every dollar is matched. Can I encourage you? Give boldly because right at this moment there are members of our team who are being bold in India as churches are burned. They were in Dubai when a hotel nearby blew up and they were training pastors. There's people in Africa that are refusing to step back, even despite the challenges they face. You are part of the movement and at Living on the Edge together we can make a difference. Let's do it.

Dave Druey: Peter said, "We cannot stop." And here's your chance to say the same thing. Join the mid-year match today. Every dollar you give this month is matched and the message keeps going. Go online to livingontheedge.org or call us at 888-333-6003. Bold giving for a bold movement. Go online, make the call, send the check, however God leads you, do it today. If you're giving through the mail, write to us at Living on the Edge, PO Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia 30324. I'm Dave Druey. Next time, Chip continues answering: how do you walk in God's power when fear is real and the opposition is organized? That'll be right here on Living on the Edge.